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Fire, floods, tornadoes, and even long-term power outages aren't particularly likely, but companies prepare for them. It's time to update disaster-preparedness plans to include responses to biochemical terrorism.

First, the good news. Statistically, biological terrorism isn't likely to affect your company. It's possible, of course. The anthrax cases in Washington and elsewhere around America have proven that. The fact remains, however, that manufacturing and distributing effective biological agents is exceptionally difficult, even with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, and therefore is a relatively minor threat to any individual business. Chemical attacks are easier to achieve, but also are more readily evident, making them easier to deal with simply because you know something has happened.

That being said, fire, floods, tornadoes, and even long-term power outages aren't particularly likely either, but companies prepare for them. It's time to update disaster-preparedness plans to include responses to biochemical terrorism.

Now, the bad news. There's not much you can do to prevent biochemical terrorism except to be vigilant and report suspicious behavior -- like odd uses of aerosols or chemicals in places where they shouldn't be, and even sticky mail in the mail room.

A disaster-preparedness plan that includes biochemical terrorism has a lot in common with other disaster plans, with a few important differences: biological attacks probably won't be noticed for several days, and many factors will be out of your control.

Flu or terrorism?
Biological attacks are subtle and may go unnoticed until symptoms occur throughout the population or until someone is diagnosed with an unusual disease. "Symptoms may not occur for days or even weeks, and when they do, most likely will be first diagnosed as the flu. People aren't likely to be admitted to a hospital until they're very sick and are admitted for pneumonia. Then the actual cause of the illness is likely to be determined," explains Donald Locasto, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

In this current climate of terrorism, expect employees to be nervous when colleagues develop colds. Therefore, "when flu-like symptoms occur -- especially if several people develop them -- have those employees medically evaluated," recommends Roger Rains, chief operating officer for Crisis Management Worldwide. This is the first step in protecting your employees and reassuring them that you take the risk of biological terrorism seriously.

Chemical attacks, however, are more evident and symptoms appear quickly. If employees experience shortness of breath, fluid drainage, or aches and pains, or become comatose, begin emergency medical procedures. "Most paramedics have the equipment to quickly identify the cause," Rains says.

Now is a good time to determine whether your HMO or local hospitals are alert to the possibility of biochemical attacks and are equipped to identify them. If they're not, refer them to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updated information and continue to pressure them to improve their recognition capabilities. Antidotes are available for the common biological agents through the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and the Metropolitan Medical Response System.

Protection
Whether a company should take steps to detect biochemical releases or to eradicate the agents really depends on the perceived threat to its facilities and employees, and to nearby buildings.

A new air filter developed by Atmospheric Glow Technologies (Rockford, TN) in cooperation with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) uses glow plasma (highly charged air) to remove "99.99 percent" of the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores it traps, along with some nerve gases. According to President Kimberly Kelly-Wintenberg, Ph.D., it will become available in 2002.

Detection systems also are available. R-Tec's C-BAND unit, designed to protect public spaces, warns of chemical or biological agents and sprays a substance to neutralize the agent. Environmental Technologies Group, Inc., manufactures a handheld device that is popular with civilian government agencies.

Most offices shouldn't bother with gas masks, though. By the time you're aware of biological terrorism, it's too late to do anything about it other than to enforce quarantines for a few days. To be effective against chemical attacks, gas masks must be properly fitted and have up-to-date filters. And, as Locasto points out, they don't protect against gases that are transmitted through the skin.

Go or stay?
physical responses to biochemical attacks really depend on where they occur in relation to your facilities, and on the government response. Many decisions will be out of your hands. Instead, federal, state, or local health officials will determine whether and when to evacuate the area and when your staff may return. Follow their guidance, even when it means losing costly materials.

Work with your local fire department or emergency-management team now to plan an orderly evacuation, especially if your facility takes time to shut down safely. Consider whether gas masks or more stringent safeguards like chemical protection suits are needed for those who must stay behind to safely shut down operations. (Refineries and chemical plants have these protections as a matter of course.)

Emergency contacts
In addition to contact information for local, regional, and federal emergency-management agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also list phone numbers and Internet sites for relevant pages of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for local weather conditions, including prevailing winds.

Know the building
In the disaster-preparedness plan, outline how the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system works and how to shut it down if necessary. Be aware that buildings, increasingly, are overpressurized, which prevents outside air from entering except through the HVAC system. That knowledge may affect a decision whether or not to shut down the system.

Alternative sites
Anticipate building closures "and be prepared to work from other locations," advises Frank G. Boscarillo, the designated disaster recovery manager for KMC Telecom. Identify, in advance, where the company could headquarter in the event of a disaster, and select primary, secondary, and tertiary options, which could mean moving to another city or another state or even operating out of homes. Also plan for the possibility of your facility being locked down by keeping food and water on hand.

KMC has "three headquarters locations, and the standard operating procedure for each includes a general disaster-preparedness plan and a site-specific plan with local numbers," Boscarillo says. He also advises keeping copies on the company intranet and on a shared network device. Rains often provides desktop references and laminated cards outlining the highlights of the disaster-preparedness plans for his clients.

But in the end, surviving biochemical attacks may come down to individual efforts. "In the best possible scenario, all employees have their vaccinations up-to-date and are in good health," Rains says, which makes them less susceptible to viruses.